


Sunshine Blend

by LadyMarshmallow



Category: Blue Lock (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bo the Cat makes an appearance, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Romance, cameo appearances from other characters, no beta i die by my own sword
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21956095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyMarshmallow/pseuds/LadyMarshmallow
Summary: For Isagi, life in college was a stressful affair.With an annoying roommate, fast-approaching deadline, and a broken coffee vending machine, he was almost at his wit's end.Desperate for his daily dose of caffeine, Isagi found himself inside a rundown coffee shop just across the street.And holy coffee, the guy at the counter was really cute.Alternatively, Isagi Yoichi was a stressed college student, but now, he's got coffee and a crush.
Relationships: Barou Shouei/Kunigami Rensuke, Isagi Yoichi & Barou Shouei, Isagi Yoichi & Kunigami Rensuke, Isagi Yoichi/Bachira Meguru
Comments: 16
Kudos: 116





	Sunshine Blend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Platinums](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Platinums/gifts).



> A little late for the holidays, but this is a holiday gift for my enabler.
> 
> Supposedly.
> 
> Anyway, this is an AU, so no spoilers in order.
> 
> Enjoy!

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

Isagi was ready to keel over and die.

There were bags under his eyes, and he could barely focus on anything, much less on his stupid art project. He had been working on it for almost an entire week now, sketching and re-sketching his piece until he was satisfied to no avail. It was like art hated him at the moment, and it felt so unfair because Isagi loved art. It was one of his favorite subjects, one that allowed him to express his thoughts and feelings without using words, and he really wanted to do good at it, but somehow, he was having the _thing_. The biggest fear of every art student, an enemy far more terrifying than demons and monsters. 

An art block.

"Why now?" Isagi groaned, staring at his still pristine white canvas. He felt like he was going to go crazy if he continued to stare at the blank infinity of his work. He knew he couldn't stay like this forever, finally deciding to take a break and perhaps drown himself with his favorite drink. A hot cup of coffee sounded really good right now.

With that decided, Isagi set his art tools down, pushing his chair back before standing up to stretch a couple of times, letting out a pleased sigh when his shoulders and neck let out a soft, cracking sound that made his bones and limbs feel alive. With one last yawn, Isagi made his way towards his personal cupboard, immediately yanking its wooden doors open in hopes of finding his favorite source of caffeine. What he found instead was a gaping void worse than any heartbreak, a barren wasteland devoid of instant coffee. It alone was enough to make Isagi want to tear his hair out and bawl like a hungry infant.

His jar of instant coffee was empty, and that enough was a crime worthy of capital punishment. Isagi really wanted to drink some coffee, but he wouldn't be able to do that with an empty coffee jar. As if he wasn't suffering enough, he noticed that his new roommate — the previous one decided to leave the dorms and rent his own apartment somewhere — had just sauntered into their shared room in all of his aloof glory, a cup of steaming coffee held reverently in his hand.

Yes, that was right, Barou freaking Shouei was drinking coffee after cursing its existence just a month ago.

Not only that. 

He seemed to be enjoying his coffee as if he was drinking a miracle. With the blissful and contented look crossing his face every time he took a sip from his cup, he might as well be. 

It was actually pretty terrifying.

But still, Barou was drinking coffee, and the nice, bitter scent that enveloped the room was enough to bring Isagi to tears, his mouth was watering, tongue craving to know whether Barou's coffee was as good as it smelled.

“Oi, let me have some," Isagi found himself demanding shamelessly. He was having caffeine withdrawal at the moment. There was absolutely no place for shame when coffee was involved in the equation.

“Some of what?” Barou raised an eyebrow at him.

“The one you’re drinking,” he clarified, pointing to the cup of coffee in Barou's grasp.

“No.” Barou frowned at him, keeping his cup of coffee as far away from him as possible. Possessive little shit.

“Just one sip, you stingy bastard.”

Barou gave him a blank stare, “Why do you want my coffee anyway?”

“Because it’s _your_ coffee. You just denounced the existence of coffee a while back," Isagi explained in exasperation.

“I'm drinking one right now.”

“Exactly," he said, trying and ultimately failing to reach for the cup in Barou's hands. It was unfair how tall some people are. “You’re drinking one now, so there must be something in that coffee because you said you would never drink one ever again.”

"Well, I changed my mind. Got a problem with it?" Barou shrugged, still keeping his drink away from him. 

"Yes," Isagi answered without missing a beat. "Share some of that coffee and there will be none."

Barou clicked his tongue. “Go and get your own.”

“I'm a broke college student. Unless you're willing to lend me m–"

"No," Barou replied, words fast like lighting and firm like iron. "There’s a vending machine downstairs."

“That’s not from a vending machine," Isagi pointed out.

“You’re right. It’s not,” Barou said, taking a very slow and deliberate sip of his coffee. If Isagi could smell mockery, he knew Barou would be reeking of it by now. "But since you're a broke college student, coffee from a vending machine is all you can afford. Deal with it."

Isagi groaned in annoyance, watching as Barou walked away from him. Really, there were times when he felt the urge to strangle Barou. Isagi might have thought that Barou was hot when they first met — tall, muscular build, a face that could rival the gods if they actually exist, an aura of strength that fills the room whenever he was in it, and a commanding confidence that could make even the proudest of kings and emperors bow down before him — but all that flew out the window the moment he opened his mouth. Barou was such an asshole. Well, not a hundred percent asshole, if Isagi was going to be honest. Barou did have his nice moments, some of which Isagi had been at the receiving end of, but his bastard moments still outweighed his good moments.

And right now, Barou was in his bastard mode.

So with one last glare at his roommate, Isagi marched out of their room, intent on heading towards the vending machine downstairs. If he was lucky, he could get two cups of coffee, and that thought was enough to lift his mood, only for said mood to plummet to the very depths of the earth.

Out of order.

The sole coffee vending machine in their building was out of order, and the next one was in another building a couple of meters away. That was just too cruel, and Isagi cursed at his fate for ten minutes before rushing back to his room, basically slumping into his bed and wailing like a baby.

"Barou," Isagi half-cried.

"You're so noisy," Barou groaned, and it was only then that Isagi noticed the open laptop and scattered sheets of paper on top of his roommate's desk, which clearly told him that Barou was doing some schoolwork. Oops.

Still, Isagi had bigger problems, "The vending machine is broken!"

"That's too bad," Barou said, and the look he was giving him told Isagi that he wasn't feeling sorry for him at all. Barou's caring nature became even more apparent when he went back to doing his schoolwork, completely ignoring him and leaving him to his suffering.

Isagi didn't know how long he remained slumped on his bed, just whining and crying over his rotten luck, when he felt someone kick the foot of his bed. Of course, there was only one person rude enough to disturb his drama, and if it were any other day, Isagi would gladly argue with him, but he had no energy to do anything at the moment, so instead, Isagi opted to ignore Barou.

"This is pathetic. Get up," Barou ordered, and Isagi was reminded that Barou never listened to him.

"Why?" Isagi asked, raising his head just enough to look at Barou who was currently standing next to his bed.

"You're so annoying, so we're getting coffee," Barou responded 

Isagi bolted upright the moment the word coffee registered in his brain, "Coffee? We?"

"Yes, Isagi. _We_ ," Barou rolled his eyes, looking as if talking to him was giving him a mighty headache.

"You're treating me to coffee?" Isagi repeated, unable to believe his ears.

"What part of _we're getting coffee_ did you not understand?" 

"Who are you and what did you do to Barou?!" Isagi squeaked. Barou treating him to coffee? Actually, Barou treating him at all? Unreal.

"Fine. Suffer from caffeine withdrawal then."

This time, Barou looked like he wanted to stab him with a dull knife, and Isagi thought that maybe he should keep his questions to himself. Barou was in one of those moods — the nicer one; yes, this was Barou when he was being nice — and Isagi didn't want him to change his mind. There was a cup of free coffee on the line.

"Wait! No, Barou!" Isagi exclaimed, scrambling to get out of bed when he noticed that Barou was returning to his desk. "I'm sorry!"

Barou looked at him, dark eyes boring into him with such intensity that Isagi could feel his face slowly heating up, too much that he thought there might be steam coming out of his pores.

"Hurry up then," Barou grumbled after a few seconds, grabbing his wallet before heading towards their door.

Isagi didn't waste a second following him, feeling pleasantly giddy all of a sudden, which was understandable. After all, he was finally getting his coffee, and it would be free.

Isagi couldn't be happier.

Now, if he only knew where Barou would take him.

Coffee Cat.

It was the name of the small, rundown café standing innocently just across the towering campus gates, one that Isagi had been ignoring because it didn't fit his aesthetics. It was also the café that Barou took them to, surprising Isagi more than anything else.

He wasn't expecting Barou to take him somewhere this small and gaudy.

For one, the shop seemed really old, the paint covering its outer walls had already faded, making it difficult for Isagi to tell whether it used to be a vibrant green or a soft lime. Its name, once a collection of dark black letters, had turned gray, and the chalkboard that told its patrons the menu for the day looked like it had seen better days.

In addition, when Barou said that they were going to get some coffee, Isagi had his expectation set, assuming that he would be taken to a fancy place, one that was both luxurious and teeming with people, a café popular enough to be ranked in large food blogs or featured in television shows. Those kinds of coffee shops seemed to fit Barou's type and taste more, his roommate always wanting to flex his money on people whenever he could, so seeing Barou about to open the worn down door of Coffee Cat was making Isagi's brain explode.

"Oi, dumbass, are you just going to stand there?" Barou's slightly annoyed voice brought Isagi back to reality, noting that he had stopped walking and was way behind his roommate who already had his hand on the door of the café.

"Hey, wait for me!"

As always, Barou didn't wait for him — the asshole — simply glaring at him and pushing the door open.

Isagi had to pretend that he didn't wince at the loud creaking noise the door made when it was pushed open.

Once inside, the age of the café became even more obvious. It was really old, Isagi concluded, noticing some of the posters nearly falling off its walls, eyes not missing the lighter marks in the wall where posters really did fall off and had gone somewhere Isagi didn't know. Walking further inside, Isagi's eyes were drawn towards some of the chairs, parts of their foam seat slightly torn from the edges.

It hindsight, it shouldn't have been a charming place, but somehow, the café seemed to be giving a vibe of its own, one that other more expensive shops couldn't quite attain. The café, although cheap-looking and almost falling apart in some areas, didn't seem so bad. It had a nice and homey feel to it, the kind that would warm you up inside and out. It looked _lived in_. Like it was filled with memories so happy and joyous that traces of those emotions made their way to its walls and built a home in them until everyone could feel them.

Although, there weren't really many people in the café, just a lovely old couple, a businessman with a well-tailored suit, and a bunch of university students scattered in different tables seemingly taking advantage of the quiet atmosphere. Isagi assumed that people didn't want to go to such a shabby looking place when there were cooler and prettier shops nearby. Isagi really liked the place though. It was peaceful inside the café, and Isagi wondered if it was also the reason why Barou preferred this shop over the others. It wasn't really a secret that Barou hated noisy places.

However, before Isagi's thoughts could completely take over and occupy his mind, a voice, cheerful and lively, interrupted them. Distracted by the sound, Isagi turned to look at the person manning the counter and felt his world completely stop in its axis.

Dear lord and everything that was holy, the mystery coffee shop guy was really cute. 

Dark wavy hair and big, bright yellow eyes that seemed to be shining with mischief, the guy was more than an eye candy, at least he was in Isagi's very humble opinion. In fact, the stranger was so cute that Isagi was already having an internal panic so big it could probably rival Jupiter.

"I see you brought a friend with you," Cute coffee guy said, the tone of his voice a mix between casual and playful. Isagi sort of hated the fact that he missed some of his words. He really liked the lilt of his voice, and he would like to hear more of it if possible.

"Don't say I don't do anything for you," Barou responded, and Isagi might or might not have been slightly jealous that his asshole of a roommate seemed to be friends with the other.

"Well then, what can I get for you this time?" The cute guy asked — where was his name tag? Why didn't he have a name tag? — grinning at Barou.

“Strawberry shake. Can't have another coffee after I had one just a while back,” Barou said, looking around the shop as if he was searching for something.

“Alright! I got you," Coffee guy answered happily before turning to him, face still sporting that friendly grin that was doing nice things to Isagi's gut. "And you?"

"Uhm. Isagi. I'm Isagi Yoichi," he answered.

The guy blinked at him, and slowly, almost deliberately said, "I was talking about your order."

Oh god.

Why did he do that? Why did he say that? Isagi wondered, face burning one thousand shades of embarrassment as he opened and closed his mouth, wanting nothing more for the ground to open up and swallow him whole. His order. Of course, the guy was asking about his order.

How was he going to get out of this mess? What kind of face will he show —

"But it's nice to meet you, Isagi. Bachira Meguru at your service."

Oh.

Bachira Meguru sounded like a really nice name. Very fitting for such a cute —

Wait.

Wait a moment? Did he just get the cute guy's name?

"Bachira?" Isagi asked, mouth hanging open.

The cute guy, Bachira, smiled, flashing his perfectly white teeth at him and making his heart jump a bit. "Yup. That's me."

It made Bachira look even cuter, and Isagi swore that he was going to start believing in miracles and silver linings from now on.

"Nice to meet you!" He said, perhaps too eagerly, and although it was somewhat embarrassing to be so excited, the soft laughter that came from Bachira was so worth it that Isagi found himself not minding his plight.

"Yes, yes, you're glad to finally meet Bachira, can you place your order already?" Barou's flat voice interrupted Isagi's moment, making his previous urge to strangle him return at full force.

Although Isagi had to remind himself that murder was not allowed, so instead, he just hissed at Barou in the most subtle manner that he could, telling him to keep his mouth shut. Not that it did anything since Barou completely ignored him.

That and Bachira was talking to him again, "So Isagi, anything you want to drink?"

Isagi nodded, pretending to scan the menu posted near the counter when in reality, he only needed a cup of black coffee to quench his thirst. 

"Just black coffee, please. No sugar and no cream," he said, only just placing his order when a black cat jumped gracefully onto the countertop, resulting in him letting out an undignified squeak that he was sure was heard inside the entire coffee shop.

"You okay there?" Bachira asked carefully, hints of amusement dancing across his vivid eyes.

Someone please end him, Isagi thought with a bright blush, staring at the cat and wondering why it was in the café to begin with.

"Oh, that's Bo. He's my cat and our mascot!" Bachira said as if he knew what Isagi was thinking. "Anyway, are you sure you need coffee? You're kinda jumpy."

"Yes! I'm okay!" Isagi exclaimed a little too eagerly, ignoring the way Barou snorted at him. "Still, you have a real cat as your mascot? That's nice! Bo is a cute name, too."

Bachira laughed, reminding Isagi of wind chimes during a windy summer morning, and although Isagi is a little clueless at why he was laughing, he found the sound of Bachira's laughter pleasant to listen to.

"Bo is short for Bone Shredder," Bachira finally revealed and Isagi paled a little, something that Bachira must have picked up on because he continued, "Relax. He's a very nice cat but is a character of his own."

"Oh," Isagi nodded, shoulders relaxing.

Bachira smiled again, "You both go and take your seats. I'll prepare your orders."

"Thank you very much," Isagi exclaimed, bowing slightly.

"Thanks, Bachira," Barou said, placing their payment on the countertop, "Keep the change."

"So generous," Bachira playfully commented before turning to make their order for them, his movements fast yet holding a sort of grace that was mesmerizing. Isagi would have stared at him longer if Barou wasn't already walking away, prompting Isagi to quickly follow after him.

"What's your order? I'm Isagi Yoichi," Barou repeated the most embarrassing highlight of Isagi's experience with a sorry imitation of his and Bachira's voices the moment they were seated on the table near the shop's large glass window. "If I knew this was going to happen, I would've taken you here sooner."

"Shut it," Isagi mumbled, covering his face with both his hands, knowing that his entire face would be burning like an inferno. It was embarrassing enough that he got tongue-tied in front of Bachira — someone he only just met — he didn't need to be reminded that Barou had been there to witness all of his blunders from start to finish, too.

Thankfully for Isagi, Barou's attention was quickly taken away from him by the creaking sound of the shop's door. Rather, Isagi corrected himself as he noticed where Barou's gaze was directed at, by the person who just arrived.

"Shouei, you're here," the new-comer exclaimed as he made his way towards their table. The stranger's eyes reminded Isagi of morning sunlight, warm but not overly so. It was just a feeling, but Isagi thought that he could trust the other with his life. Oh, and did Isagi mention that he looked really pretty. Was the café a turf for pretty people? Most likely.

"I did say I'll be back, didn't I?" Barou answered softly, gaze a lot more tender than Isagi was used to seeing from him. "I even brought a new customer. Isagi, this is Kunigami Rensuke. Ren, this is the roommate I've talked to you about. His name is Isagi."

"Hey," Isagi gave a small wave in greeting.

"Nice to meet you," Barou's friend, Kunigami, greeted with a tiny smile, and Isagi didn't miss the way Barou's eyes lit up the moment Kunigami's lips curved upward, and _oh_ , Isagi realized with a start that there was probably another reason why Barou started going to the coffee shop. "I'd love to chat more, but I need to help out Bachira. Thanks for bringing in a new customer, Shouei."

"No problem," Barou gave a small nod of acknowledgment, one that Kunigami returned with a small bow before he headed behind the counter.

"Who was that?" Isagi asked in a hushed voice once Kunigami was completely out of earshot, intrigued by the way Barou's eyes followed his friend's every movement.

"Kunigami Rensuke," Barou readily responded, "I really like him."

The sudden admission had Isagi choking from nothing, shocked that Barou liked someone. Although, the most startling thing had to be the way Barou's entire demeanor changed from a total demon to something so gentle when he was talking to and about Kunigami. Really, Kunigami had to be something else if he could make the great Barou Shouei all marshmallowy like this.

"Is that why you started coming here?" Isagi interrogated further.

"More or less," Barou answered, and Isagi sort of envied the way Barou could be so bluntly honest, "He started working here a few days ago to help the owner. He told me to come over and try their coffee, so I did."

"You didn't even hesitate to tell me? What if I use that against you?" Isagi teased, his eyes also finding their way towards the counter, wanting to observe the object of Barou's affection, only for his attention to be caught by Bachira who was making coffee while chatting animatedly with Kunigami. Bachira looked really cute.

Barou shrugged, "I don't really care. I'll just tell Bachira you have a crush on him."

"I don't have a crush on Bachira!" Isagi denied a little too quickly.

"Don't be a liar. You’ve been staring at him since we got here," Barou commented, and Isagi felt his face flare.

“Zip it," he snapped weakly.

Bachira might be cute, and Isagi might have he wanted to get to know more about him, but —

Damn it.

— Barou was right again.

He was so doomed.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

Nothing good could come out of crushes at first sight.

At least that was what Isagi thought in the past.

To him, developing a crush on someone right after meeting them was nothing but a ridiculous notion. That kind of thing would only end in heartbreak, Isagi thought with a pang of a broken friendship as he recalled silver eyes and pale hair. Isagi had long moved on from such a thing, but the fact that he was easily thrown under the bus the moment his feelings were known was the rudest kind of awakening he ever experienced in all his years of existence.

But now, just a week after his first visit to Coffee Cat, his ears still ringing with the sound of jovial laughter and mind full of bright yellow eyes, he thought that maybe, having a crush on someone right after meeting them wasn't such a bad thing.

Besides, liking someone couldn't be so bad if it helped him fill two sketch pads in a span of seven days. In fact, he had been so motivated that he already managed to submit the art project he had been slaving over for a while now. So really, having a crush on someone, _on Bachira_ , was probably a blessing in disguise.

And although he had finally accepted the fact that he had developed a crush on Bachira, missing him after only talking to him for ten minutes was overkill. Still, Isagi had gone to the café a couple of times in the morning in hopes of starting his day with the sight of Bachira's widely grinning face. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side because every time he visited the coffee shop, Bachira was nowhere to be found. Instead, his place behind the counter was taken over by a perpetually angry guy with strangely sharp teeth and the best eyeliner game Isagi had ever seen in his life.

But the bottom line still remained; Isagi hadn't been able to see Bachira for an entire week, and it was starting to affect his mood.

Which was what was happening at this exact moment.

In fact, Isagi wasn't sure how long he had been staring at the ceiling, letting happiness escape with all the sighing he was doing.

"Will you ever stop sighing like an idiot?" Barou snapped at him, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Some of us are trying to study."

Normally, Isagi would have felt bad for bothering Barou while he was studying, and he might even have a smart comeback or two for that, but right now, he was just not in the mood. Instead, he just let out another deep, bone-weary sigh and grumbled, "Don't start."

Surprisingly, Barou actually listened to him, and although Isagi was thankful that his roommate hadn't said anything else, the penetrating stare Barou was giving him was starting to become uncomfortable, effectively making him squirm under the other's intense gaze. The silence was not helping his current plight either.

After what felt like an eternity, Barou finally looked away, most likely to go back to his studies. However, before Isagi could even breathe a sigh of relief, Barou's voice echoed within the room.

“Stop sulking already. Bachira works at the café every weekday afternoon starting from 3 PM to 8 PM. You’re welcome.”

Isagi immediately straightened, sitting up and looking at Barou, his eyes blown wide. Who would have thought that his bastard of a roommate would be nice enough to give him the solution to all his life problems? Really, Isagi was so happy with the information freely given to him that he forgot to deny the idea that he was sulking.

"Barou! I take back every bad thing I thought about you. You're the best. Damn. I could hug you right now."

"That's creepy," Barou responded, backing away from him with a full-body shudder.

Isagi's eyebrow twitched. He was taking it all back. Barou was still such an asshole after all, but it didn't matter anymore. Isagi now knew Bachira's schedule and even had it memorized in both his mind and his heart.

All in all, Isagi figured things were starting to look brighter than they did before.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

With knowledge came power.

That was what Isagi used to hear all the time, words spoken by people who had the world in the palm of their hands, but the truth behind those words was something that Isagi didn't bother with until now. In short, the moment Isagi found out when Bachira's shift was, he made it his mission to come over to Coffee Cat every afternoon instead of every morning, and always, without fail, Isagi would ask for his favorite black coffee, smile and heart growing fonder and fonder every time Bachira would gladly make him his source of caffeine. 

As a matter of fact, such a thing had already become a routine, something that had quickly became special to Isagi. He was sure that his day would no longer be complete if he missed his daily trip to the café. However, Isagi should have known that even with a routine, Bachira could be as unpredictable as ocean winds because instead of his favorite drink, Isagi found himself staring at a mug filled with warm, creamy milk.

"This is not coffee." Isagi blinked, still staring in confusion at the drink that was placed in front of him.

"It's not," Bachira confirmed with a nod, eyes twinkling. "It's just warm milk."

"Why?"

"Our coffee is the best, but you can't drink it every day, you know? You're my favorite customer, and I don't want you to get sick from drinking too much coffee," Bachira explained, giving him a playful wink that shot several arrows straight into Isagi's heart. It was a critical hit, strong enough for Isagi's very being to shake with a sort of giddiness that was both familiar and foreign.

"I'm your favorite?" Isagi repeated, wanting to bite his lips to keep himself from smiling goofily.

"My favorite customer," Bachira clarified with a grin, one that was laced with amusement and fondness, something that Isagi was slowly getting familiar with after being subjected to it for quite a while now.

"I see," Isagi laughed awkwardly, face burning eleven shades of red and wanting nothing more than to hide behind the counter where Bo was currently napping or just throw himself outside of the café's window out of utter mortification and embarrassment. Still, being Bachira's favorite — as a customer or otherwise — was enough to make Isagi feel as if electricity was shooting through his veins.

"Yup, yup!" Bachira nodded vigorously before pulling the chair across from him and sitting there with barely a care in the world.

Isagi blinked, "What are you doing?"

"Taking a break. The cafe's pretty much empty around this time. You don't want me to hang out with you?" Bachira finished his words with a pout, one that drew Isagi's gaze to his lips.

_'Someone give me strength,'_ Isagi pleaded to whoever was listening. That pout was doing a million and one things to his heart.

"Hey, Isagi. Are you listening?" If possible, Bachira's pout grew, making his lips look more kissable.

"Yes! Yes, I'm listening! And I don't mind you sitting with me. I'm actually glad that you did," Isagi exclaimed in a rush, cheeks burning. He really wished he could stop talking right about now.

"Well, that's good to hear," Bachira laced his fingers together, resting his chin on them as he fluttered his eyelashes at him.

Bachira's actions had Isagi swallowing audibly. Somehow, he was extremely nervous that it took him three tries to effectively pick up the steaming cup of milk in front of him, thankful that Bachira hadn't said anything if he ever noticed him struggling. Trying to be as casual as he could, Isagi took a sip of his drink, the luscious and creamy taste of milk invading his tongue. Unfortunately, it was also the exact moment that Bachira decided to speak again.

"Oh! I know. Since you're my favorite, how about we exchange numbers?" It was more of a statement than a question, and it was so sudden and unexpected that Isagi started choking on the milk that he was drinking.

"Favorite customer, right?" Isagi tried to clarify once he had gotten enough oxygen in his airway, not wanting to further embarrass himself.

"Sure, sure," Bachira singsonged in response before letting out a soft laugh. It was different from his usual laughter. Bachira's laughter was usually loud and obnoxious, full of amusement and mischief, but this one was gentler, almost secretive in kind. "So your number?"

Isagi nodded vigorously, quickly searching inside his bag for his phone, handing it over to Bachira who gladly took it before he gave him his own phone. It was a simple thing, exchanging numbers that is, but Isagi found his heart soaring higher and higher as the beeping sounds of their keypads echoed inside the café.

"All done!" Bachira declared as they handed each other's phones back. "Thanks, Isagi."

"No problem." Isagi smiled, feeling that the planets have aligned to give him a good day. Until, of course, Barou decided to ruin it with several text messages.

**From: Barou (-_-メ)**

_Where the hell are you? You have classes at 3:45._

_And this monotone dude with sleepy eyes and his_

_friend just asked me if I killed you._

_Why would they ask me that?_

_The heck have you been telling people?_

_For the record, if I do kill you,_

_I_ _'ll make sure nobody would find out._

_Anyway, stop being a dumbass in front of Bachira and come back._

_You'll be late._

The last part had Isagi standing from his seat, startling Bachira who actually jumped at the suddenness of his actions.

"Isagi?"

"I'm going to be late!" Isagi explained in a hurry, feeling really annoyed that he would have to cut his newly dubbed Bachira time short. He did like to go to his classes — he had perfect attendance — but right now, he really hated the fact that he had to go to class.

"You have classes?"

"I'm so sorry, but I really have to go," Isagi nodded, looking apologetically at Bachira who just waved his apology with an understanding smile.

"It's okay," Bachira patted his head, and if Isagi wasn't in a hurry, he would have turned into a puddle right then and there. Bachira was giving him head pats. That was enough to warrant a sudden short circuit within the gears inside Isagi's head. "Oh, and before you go."

"Huh?" Isagi blinked, wondering what Bachira needed from him before he felt an arm around his shoulders, his right cheek being smashed into Bachira's left cheek as he was pulled into a one-arm hug.

"Smile!"

"Wha?" Isagi exclaimed, rubbing his eyes. The sudden flash of Bachira's phone had him seeing stars.

"I'll use this as my lock screen from now on. Hope you don't mind," Bachira announced, showing him that he did indeed set their picture as his lock screen, and oh gosh, Isagi thought he looked like a dried tomato with how red and stiff his face was in the picture. At least that was what he thought of himself compared to Bachira who was smiling so brightly he probably resembled a thousand suns.

"Eh? Sure?" Isagi answered, not knowing what else to reply. Thankfully, Bachira really knew how to keep things going because he gently grabbed one of his wrists, leading him towards the door of the café.

"Awesome! Now, hurry or you'll be late!" Bachira grinned, gently pushing him out the door. "Come again tomorrow, okay? Okay?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow," Isagi nodded, glad that he was slowly getting his footing back. The events that happened in the past ten minutes had been so fast, so intense like a whirlwind — much like Bachira himself, Isagi surmised — that he had been quite overwhelmed, enough that he had walked towards the dorms and to his classroom in a sort of daze.

And although Isagi arrived late in class that day, the weight of a new name in his contact list and the beaming look Bachira gave him when he promised to drop by Coffee Cat tomorrow kept him in high spirits until the sun made way for the moon.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

Having Bachira's number in his phone was a wild and fun experience if Isagi said so himself.

After he gave his contacts to Bachira, the two of them had been exchanging messages until morning, and Isagi had learned more internet jokes and memes talking to Bachira than he did when he was hanging out with Igarashi and Imamura. But it wasn't just that. There were times when they would talk about other things, too, sometimes they would talk about their lives, other times secrets would be shared between just the two of them, and Isagi found himself gradually getting to know Bachira inside and outside of Coffee Cat.

If Isagi was honest, meeting Bachira was one of the best things that ever happened to him. Although at times, it was a source of dilemma for him, too.

Just like today.

Isagi had been standing in front of the mirror for more than an hour and a half now, looking over himself and wondering whether his current attire was just the right balance of cool and casual. He was currently wearing a combination of his best clothes — his favorite jacket and one of his newer pants — but he wasn't sure whether they made him look good or not.

One might wonder why he was so set on ensuring that he looked fine, but he was going to meet up with Bachira today, and Isagi really wanted to look his best while still making it seem as if he wasn't trying that hard to look cool.

**From: 💖💖💖 Bachira 💖💖💖**

_Isagi ~_

_Are you free tomorrow? Would you like to go shopping with me?_

_I need to buy coffee beans and other things for the shop._

_Join me?_

_Pleaseeeeee?_

Bachira had sent him that message just last night, and honestly, Isagi could still recall the familiar burst of positive giddiness that he felt when his phone lit up with a message tagged with Bachira's name, remembering how he almost fell out of his bed when he read the contents of Bachira's message and was able to comprehend it. When he did, he said yes immediately. Why would he say no? He and Bachira had been exchanging messages since they got each other's numbers, but it had been the first time Bachira asked him for something, so there was no way Isagi would say no. Honestly, even if it was not the first time Bachira asked him for a favor, Isagi would still have said yes. He would always say yes, and he would make sure the universe would not be able to give him a reason to say no. 

Besides, he wanted to spend time with Bachira, and he would take all of the chances that he could get. In fact, he wanted to hang out with Bachira so bad that even his choice of clothes was affected. Usually, he would just wear whatever was on top of his dresser, but today was different. And maybe, a large part of him wanted to impress Bachira, too.

"How do I look?" Isagi asked, finally remembering that he was not the only person currently in the room.

"Like an idiot," Barou answered immediately, not wasting the chance to insult him. Honestly, Isagi couldn't even be mad at Barou. Not when he found out from Bachira that it was actually Barou who suggested that Bachira just ask for his help shopping for the things the café would need.

"You're not even looking at me," Isagi pointed out, noticing that Barou basically had his nose buried under the documents in front of him.

"I don't have to."

"You look nice, Isagi." Kunigami, who was helping out Barou with his project, politely interrupted before Isagi could even think of a good comeback for his roommate. "Your jacket goes really well with your pants. Nice color choice, too."

"Heh," Isagi huffed smugly, looking at Barou with a teasing smirk. In this world, Kunigami's words were law, and nobody, not even Barou, could contradict them. "Heard that? Kunigami thinks I look nice."

"Get out already," Barou said in response, pointing harshly at the door.

Barou sounded annoyed now, and Isagi would have laughed at his face if Kunigami wasn't with them. Isagi definitely did not want to further disturb Kunigami with his laughter, so instead Isagi just hurriedly shuffled towards the door, remembering to grab his sling bag on the way. If Isagi was going to talk about facts, he would admit that he was more than certain that Barou just wanted him to leave early so that he could have more alone time with Kunigami, something that Isagi understood to a frightening extent.

Besides, he knew that Kunigami wanted the same thing but was just too nice to say it out loud. Isagi had only been around Kunigami for a few times and most of those times he was with Barou, but even in those few times, Isagi didn't miss the way Kunigami would look at Barou just a little longer, smile at him a little softer. Although Isagi still didn't understand how Kunigami could like Barou of all people, he couldn't deny that those two were good for each other. Besides, if those two got together, Isagi had high hopes that Barou would be a little nicer to him.

_'That's probably asking too much. Barou would be Barou.'_ Isagi thought with amusement, walking towards his and Bachira's meeting spot with a spring to his steps, completely unaware of his surroundings.

In hindsight, he should have been more attentive.

But since he wasn't, Isagi found himself colliding into something, rather into someone. A post couldn't be that soft and squishy after all.

"Sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was…" Isagi froze, blood suddenly turning into frozen liquid as he recognized the person that stood before him, "... going."

Kira Ryousuke still looked as charming as Isagi remembered, just like a sparkling prince on a white horse, but somehow, the thundering of his heart that usually resounds in his chest at the sight of Kira was nowhere to be found. Strange how once upon a time, the mere sight of Kira could bring his heart into overdrive, but now, the only thing that remained was a sort of quietness that was neither painful nor calming. It was just… nothing, a blank feeling that reminded Isagi of an untouched canvas, and for unknown reasons, he felt himself shaking.

"Isagi. It's been a while. How are you doing?" Kira greeted casually, like an old acquaintance would, yet his words and expression didn't match. It was almost funny, Isagi found himself thinking with a stinging bitterness that had him clenching his jaws, how Barou's rudeness and blunt honesty held far more kindness and warmth than Kira's eyes.

"Never better," Isagi said with an easy smile, praising himself that he managed to give a calm response despite the trembling of his hands.

"I see. That's good to hear," Kira hummed. He was acting like an old friend as if he hadn't looked at him with eyes that held disgust years ago, smiling so blindingly bright that he was almost shining. It was the kind of smile that drew Isagi to him in the past, but it was only now, after meeting Kunigami, that Isagi realized how different a truly genuine smile really was compared to the curve of Kira's lips.

Still, Isagi just wanted this accidental meeting to end quickly. There were no more words that he wanted to say to the person before him, and the growing silence between them had started to become awkward. Isagi thought it would be nice if he could easily make an excuse to leave as quickly as possible.

As if hearing his pleas, Bachira came running to him, effectively placing himself between him and Kira and shattering the uncomfortable silence as if it were nothing but brittle glass.

"Yo-chan! There you are! Jeez. Did you get lost? I've been looking all over for you," Bachira exclaimed, placing both his hands on each of his shoulders, shaking him slightly. Like magic, the warmth seeping from Bachira's hands helped settle his nerves.

"Bachira?" Isagi's jaw went slack. Yo-chan? Did Bachira just give him a nickname?

"Boo." Bachira's lips formed into a pout, tiny and so unbelievably adorable, and as if that wasn't enough, he deliberately fluttered his eyes at him as he continued, "Yo-chan, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Meguru? It's fine, isn't it?"

Isagi's eyes went wide as saucers, finally realizing that Bachira was rescuing him from the awkwardness that was his encounter with Kira, but the idea of calling Bachira by his first name had Isagi's heart partying wildly underneath his ribcage, and his face burned.

"M-meguru?" Isagi stuttered, shyly testing the way Bachira's name felt against his tongue.

"That's the way!" Bachira beamed, and Isagi almost fainted at the heat that pooled from his chest and upwards to his face. He knew he was blushing so bright, but it wasn't really a new thing when Bachira was involved.

Isagi would have said something else, but before he could, a tiny cough prevented him from voicing his thoughts, reminding him that Kira was still present.

"Who's this? Someone you know?" Bachira turned his head to face Kira, but he also kept his hands on his shoulders, and Isagi had never been so grateful for the contact.

"Yeah. We went to the same high school," Isagi replied. He knew he was downplaying what they were in the past — Kira was more than just a classmate after all; he was his best friend, his confidante, and more — but Isagi knew none of those had been true, and he had learned to accept that now.

"Oh. Are you reminiscing?" Bachira questioned, eyes twinkling. There was a sudden undercurrent of _something_ in his voice, one that Isagi didn't know what but something that he was sure was not his usual playfulness. In fact, it sounded dark, for lack of better words

"Not really. I was just about to leave." Isagi shook his head in the negative, feeling more confident in speaking up now that Bachira was with him.

"Great! Because I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat first, 'kay?" Bachira was back to his usual cheery self now, and although the switch of his personality had been too quick and just a tad terrifying, Isagi found himself not minding. It was such a Bachira thing anyway. 

"Where do you want to eat?" Isagi tilted his head, pretending that he didn't notice the way Kira clenched his hands, remembering how the other hated being ignored, something that Bachira seemed to be doing like a trained professional.

"Anywhere is fine as long as you're with me," Bachira winked playfully, and Isagi wondered if it was okay to faint right now. Bachira had a habit of saying things like that, and Isagi was beginning to believe that he would never get used to it. He was further proven right when Bachira released his shoulders, opting instead to confidently link an arm around his, grinning broadly.

Isagi swallowed, feeling the butterflies in his stomach turn into hummingbirds, "R-right. There's a fast-food restaurant nearby."

"Let's go there then," Bachira declared, tightening his hold on his arm and tugging him closer that he nearly stumbled. Being this close, Isagi realized that he and Bachira were almost the same height.

_'Perfect for kissing_ ,' his mind supplied, and Isagi had to remind himself that now is not the time for such thoughts.

"It seems that you're in a hurry. I'll excuse myself now then," Kira interjected, perfect smile still in place.

Isagi felt Bachira nod next to him, "Yeah, you do that."

Kira blinked, "What?"

"Bye-bye, person who went to the same school as Yo-chan. It's not nice to meet you, by the way," Bachira stated honestly, even going as far as to stick his tongue out at a stunned Kira before dragging him away, leaving a totally frozen Kira behind.

"Meguru!" Isagi chided, shaking his head fondly when all Bachira did in response was let out a laugh, the sound like waterfalls on a secluded rainforest, loud and so full of life. A rational part of Isagi thought that leaving Kira out there without a proper goodbye was kind of rude, but Isagi would be lying if he said that he didn't find it satisfying to see Kira's carefully constructed facadé crumble into a heap beneath Bachira's feet.

"Don't like him," Bachira told him once he had calmed down enough to speak.

Isagi was silent for a moment, taking in what he just heard from his friend. Bachira seemed to be waiting for something, yellow eyes carefully observing him, gaze boring deep into his as if he was searching for something. Isagi didn't know what exactly Bachira wanted, but all Isagi knew that if there was one thing that he could give him, it was honesty.

"Yeah. Me, too," Isagi answered and was almost startled when he realized that he really meant what he said.

"Good," Bachira nodded, and the weight of his gaze finally eased, replaced by his usual playful disposition. It was still a strange thing, Bachira's reaction that is, but Isagi had no time to dwell on such a thing when Bachira continued, "Oh, and Yo-chan?"

"Yeah?" Isagi asked, trying his best not to cry from happiness at the fact that Bachira was still calling him by that nickname even though Kira was no longer around. He swore to every deity listening that he will treasure this moment, knowing full well that it wouldn't last.

"You look dashing, by the way."

Isagi stared at Bachira, mind suddenly blank.

Bachira stared back, grinning like the Cheshire cat in Alice's dream.

For a moment, they just stood there in the middle of a busy street where a lot of people were probably gawking at them, staring at each other until Isagi's mind began to work again, finally processing what he had heard.

Dashing.

Bachira thought he looked dashing, and somehow, that one statement from Bachira washed away every unpleasant thing looming above Isagi's head.

Isagi was sure of it now.

Meeting Bachira was indeed one of the best things that ever happened to him.

Oh, and he was also sure that he was blushing like an idiot, but at least the person he liked complimented him. 

All in all, it was a win for him.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

It wasn't a one-time thing.

Bachira calling him Yo-chan that is. 

For some reason or another, Bachira's nickname for him had stayed. Ever since their encounter with Kira, Bachira had yet to stop calling him Yo-chan. Although if he was honest, Isagi didn't really want Bachira to stop. Having Bachira call him by the nickname he gave him made Isagi feel special and maybe just a little happier than he probably should. Plus, as a direct result of everything, Isagi retained his free pass to call Bachira by his first name, too. It was like they have gotten closer to each other, both physically — Bachira had a tendency of linking their arms together when they walk, Isagi found out — and personally.

In addition, everything else that happened after that seemed to be in his favor, almost as if lady luck specifically chose him to be blessed by her gifts. In fact, Isagi had a feeling that all the good things in his life would continue on for days to come.

He was proven right when one sunny day, Kunigami approached him with a specific request.

"Hey, Isagi," Kunigami began as he walked up to him, looking and sounding a bit unsure.

"Kunigami, what's wrong?" Isagi looked at Kunigami attentively, ready to throw down someone if he needed to.

"I know it's sudden, but can I ask you for a favor? I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Let it be known that there was nobody, be it in heaven or hell, that could say no to Kunigami. They could try their best, but one look at Kunigami's eyes and people would be falling onto their knees, ready to take down an entire nation if Kunigami ever asked them to, and Isagi was really no exemption, so with a reassuring smile, he nodded.

"Sure. What is it that you need?"

"It's nothing huge. It's just," Kunigami hesitated a bit before pushing forward, "do you think you can cover for my shift tomorrow?" 

"Your shift?"

Kunigami nodded, sounding both hopeful and apologetic as he brought his hands together in a pleading manner. "I need to finish a report, but I don't want Bachira to be alone during his shift either."

"You want me to cover your shift for you?"

"If you don't mind."

"In the coffee shop?"

Another nod.

"With Meguru?"

"Yeah. So do you think you can?" Kunigami asked before quickly adding, "It's okay if you can't though. I can try and ask Chigiri, too, but I'm worried that he'd refuse since he was also in advanced classes, and we're really loaded with schoolwork right now."

Isagi didn't really know who Chigiri was — he had an inkling that it was that pretty redhead he saw hanging out a lot with Kunigami before — but there was no way he was going to give up the chance to spend some time with Bachira. Sure, he was going to visit the café anyway, but having another excuse to be there couldn't hurt.

"I'll do it," Isagi exclaimed before realizing how he sounded, letting out a fake cough in an attempt to cover the enthusiasm in his voice as he continued, "I only have classes in the morning, so there's no problem."

"Really? Thank you!"

_'No. Actually, thank you.'_ Isagi sobbed inwardly, wanting nothing more than to pull Kunigami in a big, grateful hug, only able to hold himself back because of the fact that he would probably end up scaring Kunigami if he suddenly hugged him. That, and he had a feeling Barou would be coming for his throat if he ever did anything to scare Kunigami. So instead, Isagi just grinned at Kunigami, trying his best to act normal despite his urge to celebrate.

"Don't mention it."

Thanks to that conversation, Isagi had another reason to look forward to tomorrow.

And although the day quickly ended and Isagi finally woke up to a brand new morning, he still couldn't help but think how the afternoon couldn't quite come fast enough.

He wanted to be with Bachira already.

As such, no one could really blame him if he basically zoomed out of the lecture hall the moment his professor dismissed the class, effectively weaving his way between the countless students walking and loitering in the hallways of the campus as if his agility had just leveled up. With how fast he was able to travel from the campus to the coffee shop, it might as well be true.

"Hey, Meguru," Isagi greeted with an excited smile. He knew he would be working, but it didn't matter. No work could ever be boring if Bachira was next to him.

"Yo-chan! What are you doing here so early?" Bachira exclaimed when he saw him, sounding startled. Isagi rejoiced at the fact that he was able to surprise Bachira. Usually, he was the one being caught off guard by Bachira, so it felt nice to see their situations reversed.

"Kunigami can't make it today," he explained.

"I know that," Bachira nodded, eyes still questioning. "That doesn't answer my question though."

Isagi grinned cheekily, striding towards the counter and surprising himself with how confident he was being right now. "So I'll be taking his place and help you hold this fort for the day."

If possible, Bachira's shock increased, eyes widening like saucers. "You'll help me?"

"I will. Unless you don't want me to?" Isagi asked, hoping and praying to the spirits of fortune that Bachira wouldn't answer in the negative. He'd probably feel sad if that happened since he had been looking forward to this moment since yesterday.

"I want you to!" Bachira answered immediately, his response easing the worry that was beginning to bud inside Isagi's heart.

"Well, there's no problem then, right?"

Bachira shook his head in response, "Nope."

Isagi was glad to hear that. For a moment, he thought Bachira would decline his offer to help. Despite his statement, Bachira still seemed to be bothered by something, his brows creased in what Isagi could only assume as uncertainty. Isagi didn't like seeing Bachira with that kind of look, so he decided to press further, wanting to know the problem so that he could at least try and offer support.

"Is there something else bothering you?"

Bachira's initial response was silence, and Isagi fidgeted until Bachira finally voiced out his answer. "Are you sure it's okay with you? Kunigami usually helps me because its peak hours. The shop doesn't give out the impression, but a lot of students still come here around these hours. We'll be serving a lot of people. I don't want you to get overwhelmed."

"Oh," Isagi blinked, coming into a sudden realization. 

Bachira was worried about him. Somehow, that knowledge stirred something pleasant in Isagi's heart, filling up his veins with honey and flowers. He was really happy, and no force in the world could change that. Still, Isagi's desire to ease Bachira's worries remained. That was why he gave Bachira a reassuring smile, one that was brimming with confidence as he declared that everything was going to be fine.

"Don't worry! I'm sure I can do it. How hard could it be?"

Turns out, it was really _hard_. Terrifyingly hard even. Isagi felt like he had underestimated the difficulty of manning a coffee shop during peak hours because his arms and legs already felt like jelly after just two hours of serving the customers. That, or he just really didn't have enough stamina to keep going for the day. In fact, they were nearing the three-hour mark, and the number of customers had already dwindled, but Isagi was ready to lie down on the floor of the café. 

To be perfectly honest, the only reason why he was still standing was that he didn't want to look lame in front of Bachira who still seemed as cheerful as he was when the first customer came in. Frankly, Isagi just found a new respect for Bachira.

"I really appreciate your help, Yo-chan," Bachira said once the peak-hours faded into a lull, the café no longer filled with the busy chatter of students and office employees.

"No need to thank me," Isagi answered, giving Bachira a warm smile. Bachira's gratitude was enough to rejuvenate his energy, bringing life to his bones and his spirit.

"But I wanted to thank you," Bachira insisted, shoving a plate of cake into his hands, "so here."

"What's this?"

"It's a thank you cake."

"All this for me?" Isagi asked, staring in awe at the slice of what appeared to be a triple-chocolate cake presented in front of him. It looked divine, dark with a dash of red from the cherry on top, and he was certain that it tasted just as heavenly as it looked. He almost felt guilty eating it, but Bachira gave it to him, so he had to eat it.

"This is so good!" Isagi exclaimed after the first bite, sure that his entire face was sporting a blissful look. He couldn't help it though. The cake really tasted amazing, the rich chocolate flavor bursting in his mouth. In fact, he liked it so much that he finished one slice in record time. "Can I have another one? I'll pay for it this time if I have to."

"It's not for sale yet," Bachira revealed, and Isagi's jaw dropped.

"Why not?" Isagi thought it was such a shame not to add something so delicious to the café's menu.

"It's a new recipe," Bachira answered, and for some reason he seemed to be fidgeting, eyes focused on Bo who was sitting by the window instead of him. Isagi was about to ask why but was unable to as Bachira continued, "I made it."

A pause.

"You did?"

Bachira nodded, mumbling something that Isagi failed to catch despite straining his ear.

"Huh? What was that?"

"I wanted to be a patisserie," Bachira's voice was shaky and somewhat awkward when he repeated his words, "I thought I'll try making some cake as practice."

Bachira seemed unsure, like he didn't believe in his skills, and somehow, the usually confident glimmer in his eyes was dimmed. Isagi didn't have to be a genius to understand what was going on. It was clear as day. Bachira was feeling insecure, like he wasn't sure he could be what he wanted, and the look on his face was a look that didn't suit him at all. 

Isagi had only known Bachira for three months and seventeen days, but he knew from day one just how amazing Bachira could be, so with all the honesty of a man who was cursed to never lie, Isagi spoke with utmost firmness and conviction, leaving no room for a possible argument.

"I'm sure you can be whatever you want, Meguru. I'll support you!" Isagi said without falter, grabbing hold of both of Bachira's hands as if to further prove his point. "You're really amazing, you know? The cake you made is proof. I really love it! I'm sure everyone will, too."

And when his words faded into silence, Isagi noticed how wide Bachira's eyes had become, feline-like yellow glowing into something bright, shining with delicate happiness that they almost seemed gold.

"Thank you, Yo-chan," Bachira said with a soft voice and an equally soft smile, sincerity bleeding from his every word as Isagi felt him squeeze his hands, "That means a lot to me."

Breathless, Isagi squeezed back, "Don't mention it."

And right here, surrounded by the walls of the café, hand in hand with his special person and drowning from the pleasant scent of roasted coffee and the lingering taste of a chocolate cake filled with Bachira's dreams, Isagi's heart soared with emotions too strong to contain that they're overflowing.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

After that day in the café, Isagi's euphoric days continued.

He and Bachira had gotten even closer, sharing dreams and talking nonstop about what they wanted to do. It was beyond pleasant, and Isagi's heart would be so full by the end of the day he thought it might burst. He was sure that no force in the universe could ruin his blissful days.

Except maybe Barou.

"Will you ever tell Bachira that you like him?" Barou asked one day, and Isagi was sure he timed his question right when Isagi shoved a spoonful of chocolate pudding in his mouth, making him choke at the suddenness of his question.

It took him a minute to calm down, and when he did, he gave Barou a teasing look. "You're awfully interested in mine and Bachira's relationship. Curious?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Barou countered readily. "Who will be interested in your love life?"

"Then what is it?"

“Watching you make a fool of yourself in front of Bachira used to be hilarious. Now, it's just exhausting,” Barou grumbled as if saying that the sky is blue. “Why do you think I always ditch you when we go to the coffee shop together, dumbass?”

“Because you want to marry Kunigami?” Isagi said, wiggling his eyebrows at his roommate. Barou seemed to be in a good mood, so Isagi wasn't scared of teasing him at the moment.

“That too,” Barou said without a second thought. Barou might be a little shit most of the time, but Isagi really admired the way he could be so straightforward and honest. It often made Isagi wonder what it would be like to be able to admit the contents of his heart without any kind of fear. Then again, Kunigami was completely enamored with Barou, leading Isagi to believe that Barou was one lucky bastard — rejection for him was out of the equation after all.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Kunigami arrived in their room, carrying a green file holder filled with a lot of paper.

"Sorry to intrude," Kunigami said once Barou let him in.

Isagi was quick to shake his head. "You're not intruding. You want something to drink?"

"Thank you, but I'll have to leave right away. I just dropped by to deliver these," Kunigami explained, turning to Barou to hand him the file holder he had been holding securely. "Here are the documents you asked me to print. I printed extra copies just in case you need them."

"Thanks, Ren," Barou said, and Isagi would be lying if he said that he was no longer surprised at the way Barou's hard features would shift into something tender and so painfully in love.

"It's no problem. I'm always here to help you," Kunigami declared unwaveringly, and when he smiled at Barou, Isagi felt the need to look away, feeling as if he was intruding into something private and intimate.

"Are you heading back now?" Barou asked, and Isagi turned to watch them once again. It was a little embarrassing, but he really wanted to learn how to deal with a crush without making a fool of himself. Barou seemed really confident, so he wanted to pick up some pointers from him and how he interacts with Kunigami.

"Yeah. I told Chigiri I wouldn't be long. We're still in the middle of finishing up our own project," Kunigami dipped his head in agreement, looking a bit regrettable that he had to leave right away. Really, these two are so in love Isagi thought that they should just kiss already and be done with it.

"Take care on your way back," Barou said softly, placing his hand at the back of Kunigami's head to gently pull it forward and plant a soft kiss on Kunigami's forehead.

Isagi's jaw dropped to the floor with a metaphorical thud when Kunigami accepted the gesture without complaints, face flaming scarlet.

_'What the hell?'_ Isagi thought, too stunned to even notice Kunigami excusing himself from him and exiting the room.

"What?" Barou turned to raise an eyebrow at him once Kunigami is out of sight.

Isagi opened and closed his mouth three times before he managed to formulate words.

"You kissed him!"

"I did." Barou nodded calmly like he didn't just kiss Kunigami in front of him.

"You kissed him," Isagi repeated with more emphasis.

"We're dating," Barou stated matter-of-factly as if his words held all the answers to the questions of the universe instead of giving Isagi more questions that needed answers.

"You're what? Since when?"

"We've been together since last year."

For some reason, Isagi's brain shut down even more at that information, leaving his mouth hanging open as he tried to process everything that he had just heard.

"Ren and I are on a first-name basis," Barou stressed, obviously noticing his silence.

This time, Isagi finally managed to speak. "So am I with Meguru!"

"I even told you I like him," Barou pointed out.

"I thought that was just because you have a crush on him."

Barou rolled his eyes at him, "This is why you're still single."

"Are you serious?" Isagi exclaimed, opting to ignore Barou's jab at his love life or lack thereof. "I know Kunigami likes you, but he never said anything about this."

"Did you ask him?" Barou was raising an eyebrow at him, but even with his trademark _you're the dumbest person I have ever met_ look directed at him, Isagi could tell that Barou was happy at the fact that Isagi pointed out that Kunigami was rather obvious with his affections.

"Are you saying he'll tell me if I ask?"

Barou shrugged, "It's not like we're trying to keep it a secret."

Thinking back on how Barou and Kunigami interacted around one another, Isagi thought it all made sense. Those two had been acting like a couple, hadn't they? Not like teenagers in love, but two mature people who knew how relationships work. Somehow, Isagi was a little jealous, wondering if it was possible for him to have something like that with Bachira.

"Last year, huh?" Isagi mumbled, distracting himself from his own thoughts, opting instead to interrogate Barou about his love life. "So who confessed?"

"I did," Barou admitted, raising his head to stare at the ceiling, most likely remembering treasured moments he held dearly in his heart. "Ren's the type of person that'll be content being friends with someone he likes."

"That sounds like Kunigami." Isagi said with a soft chuckle. Although, there was still something else that he wanted to ask. Something that had been nagging at the back of his mind ever since he realized he like Bachira, maybe even before then. "Was it scary? Confessing."

"It was," Barou answered, eyes serious. "Ren is my friend. I know that if my confession didn't go well, I could lose that friendship. That's what terrified me."

"You can handle being rejected but not losing him as a friend. Is that it?" Isagi thought he understood where Barou was coming from. It was the same for him with Bachira. He knew that it would be really unbearable to lose Bachira completely. He would be heartbroken, and it terrified him.

"Something like that."

Barou was really brave, Isagi realized after hearing his answer. Isagi had to wonder if he could be that courageous, swallow all his fear and shout to the world how much he adored Bachira.

"You're brave," Isagi told him, a little envious and full of admiration.

"It wasn't like that," Barou denied.

This time, it was Isagi's turn to raise an eyebrow at Barou. "Then what is it?"

Barou looked thoughtful for a moment, and Isagi worried that he might be asking too much, but to his surprise, Barou gave his answer. "I just thought I wanted him to know that he's loved."

That was…

"That's surprisingly romantic of you," Isagi teased, unable to stop himself.

"I'll strangle you," Barou threatened almost immediately.

Dodging a pillow thrown at him, Isagi raised his hand in surrender, opting to go back to what he really wanted to know, "Will I be able to do it? Tell Meguru."

"Depends." Barou's lips thinned into a line, once again looking serious. "Are you ready for rejection?"

"Oi!" Isagi squeaked indignantly, "Why is it just the negative consequence?"

"That's what you have to be ready for, dumbass. When I told Ren, I was ready to lose everything."

Isagi deflated, "It's like a gamble, isn't it? It's either you gain more or you lose all."

"Maybe, but I'd rather take my chances than regret keeping quiet. Besides, you wouldn't know how it'll end if you don't try to start it in the first place." Barou said, and Isagi realized that this was one of the reasons why he admired Barou even if he gets on his nerves most of the time.

"It's a lot to think about," Isagi found himself saying, mind and heart full of vivid memories of Bachira's laughter.

"Pace yourself," Barou suggested, "Don't rush but don't take too long either."

"I know." Isagi nodded, thinking that Barou really was a great roommate if he's willing to answer all his love questions and even give him advice. "Thanks, Barou. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah," Barou said before adding, "but next time, don't thank me. It's giving me goosebumps."

Isagi groaned, throwing both of his fluffy slippers at Barou who dodged them like a professional. "Why do you have to be such an asshole?"

And as Isagi looked for other things to throw at Barou, he thought with both wistfulness and yearning, that maybe, it was time to gather his wits and tell Bachira.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

It wasn't the right time yet.

At least that was what Isagi concluded fate was trying to tell him because right when he decided to try and tell Bachira how much he liked him, Bachira told him that he was leaving for Chiba. Not permanently, of course. Just two weeks, Bachira had said, telling him that he was just going to visit his mother, and although Isagi didn't mind, he thought that it was still fourteen days wherein he wouldn't be able to see Bachira.

Even so, the two of them had been texting each other nonstop, so Isagi felt that Bachira was still nearby, and it was only when he entered the café the following day that Bachira's absence sunk in.

Coffee Cat was the same as ever, but somehow, everything felt incredibly quiet. It was lonely. Sure, at first, it was because of the coffee. Well, it was still because of the coffee, but somehow, along the way, it became about Bachira, too. It just didn’t feel right anymore to go to the café and not be greeted by Bachira's wide grin and cheerful voice.

"Miss him already?" Kunigami asked him the moment he sat himself on a chair and slumped forward on the coffee table.

Isagi nodded with a deep sigh, further slumping forward like half of his soul disappeared. 

And really, Isagi might still be trying to learn the ropes when it comes to romance, but he wasn't completely clueless that he wouldn't recognize the shift in the feelings he had for Bachira. He might not be able to tell the exact details — the whens and the hows — of the sudden change in what he felt for Bachira, but what he was sure of was that at one point, his crush on Bachira had grown into something far deeper, something far more profound that words couldn't be used to completely describe its intensity, and the urge to be with him in every sense of the word became far stronger than any nuclear weapon man could ever hope to build.

The feelings he had for Bachira were no longer as simple as crush. Frankly, Isagi knew that it hadn't been for a while now. There was no way that his strong urge to spend every waking moment with Bachira was just a simple crush.

Somewhere along the way, between his dreams and his time in the café, he fell in love with Bachira.

Which brought him back to his current dilemma, also known as missing Bachira like a clingy boyfriend would.

"I'm not sure if this will cheer you up, but Bachira told me to give this to you," Kunigami's kind voice coupled with his statement and the mention of Bachira's name had Isagi perking up, at least for a little bit.

"Huh?"

"Here," Kunigami said, placing a cup of coffee and a slice of cake in front of him, a cake, although a different flavor, looked strikingly familiar, and when he tasted it, the flavors bursting inside his mouth confirmed what he already knew.

"Meguru made this cake," it was more of a statement than a question. "He really makes the best cakes."

Kunigami nodded. "He had perfected it before he left for Chiba. I think he wanted you to be the first one to taste it."

"Really?"

Kunigami hummed, "Yeah. I didn't know what you two talked about, but he started taking baking more seriously now. It's nice to see him all fired up like that."

"I'm glad," Isagi breathed out, looking adoringly at the vanilla cake in front of him.

"You really like Bachira, huh?" Kunigami suddenly and off-handedly commented. 

"W-what? How did you—" Isagi exclaimed, gulping down the coffee in front of him in an attempt to hide how red his face had become from those words, and ignoring how painful it had burned his tongue. "Did Barou tell you?"

Kunigami blinked, "He didn't have to. You look at Bachira like Chigiri looks at Tetsu."

So he was that obvious. Isagi face palmed, wondering who else knew, feeling ice course through his veins when he realized that there was a possibility of Bachira knowing. 

"Do you think Meguru knows?" He asked helplessly.

Kunigami gave an apologetic shrug, "I think that's a question you should ask him."

Isagi let his entire face drop on the table top, his action causing the sound of porcelain and metal to echo in the shop. "Then, do you think I have a chance?"

Kunigami's silence was honestly scary, and Isagi was genuinely afraid of seeing what kind of face Kunigami was making at the moment. Out of everyone he knew, Isagi trusted Kunigami's judgement the most, and if Kunigami answered in the negative, it might as well be the truth. But Isagi wanted to know, wanted to hope, so ever slowly, he raised his head and was met by the softest, most genuine smile he had ever seen on a person.

"Try looking at Bachira's fingertips sometimes, okay?" Kunigami told him gently. It was a curious statement, and Isagi didn't know why Kunigami was telling him such a thing, but the stars twinkling behind his eyes told Isagi that it was an information far more valuable than any precious stone in existence.

Besides, those words alone were enough to spark the flames of conviction in his soul, its fire burning brighter and brighter for days on end.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

Isagi wanted to see Bachira.

It had been almost two weeks since Bachira left the city to visit his mother in Chiba, and Isagi was starting to really miss him. In fact, there was nothing Isagi wanted to do as of the moment but to bask in Bachira's bright presence, indulge himself in the wild and free spirit that seemed to define the very essence of Bachira's entire being.

It was the same for today, too.

"Why are you still here?" Barou's gruff voice cut through Isagi's longing for Bachira.

"Hah?"

"Don't you want to see Bachira?"

Isagi pouted, "Meguru's not even at the café yet."

"Are you accusing Ren of being a liar?"

"I will never!" Isagi glared at Barou, offended that he would even assume such a thing.

"Ren just texted me that Bachira's back," Barou told him, all the while waving his phone in front of his face.

Isagi caught a glimpse of the message — Kunigami was so cute, using emojis in his message — confirming that yes, Bachira was finally back.

"I have to go," Isagi announced, already grabbing his shoes. Fourteen days, and he was finally going to see Bachira again. 

"Then get out of here already," Barou said, throwing his jacket at him, "and wear a goddamn jacket. It's starting to get cold outside."

"Yes, mom." Isagi rolled his eyes at Barou, snickering at the glare he received before making a dash out of the dorms and towards the café, ignoring the shouts of random strangers telling him to slow down and watch where he was going.

As if he could do something like slowing down when his favorite person just returned from a two-week long trip. So instead of slowing down, Isagi ran faster and faster, thanking the fact that he was rather athletic.

Coffee Cat wasn't that far, and with that short distance and his speed, Isagi arrived at the café in record time.

"Meguru!" Isagi almost shouted as he burst through the door of the café, startling Bo who was napping on one of the nearby tables.

"Yo-chan," Bachira exclaimed, equally startled as his cat.

"Welcome back!" Isagi grinned, unable to contain himself as he pulled Bachira into a hug, inhaling his scent and allowing himself to get lost into the warmth that only Bachira can bring. 

It was strange, but the more Isagi held Bachira close to him, hugging him as if his life depended on their closeness, on the feeling of his skin against Bachira, the more the loneliness he felt from Bachira's absence ebbed away, fading into oblivion until it was nothing but a lingering trace of a past that was quickly being forgotten, and although his heart was still racing from his sprint, Isagi knew that it was also beating wildly for another reason entirely.

Ah.

He was so happy that Bachira was back.

"Did you run all the way here?" Bachira inquired, sounding a little worried. "You're breathing really hard."

"I heard you're back," Isagi answered Bachira's question with the truth.

"That doesn't really explain why you ran though?"

Despite everything that was going on, every curious question being thrown at him, Bachira didn't push him away, and Isagi silently rejoiced at the fact that he was being allowed to hug Bachira longer than he probably should. In fact, being able to hug Bachira like this, being able to treasure him without the fear of rejection, was truly one of Isagi's greatest wish, and because Isagi's heart was beyond overflowing with everything that was Bachira — the bright purple of his jacket and the way his hair curls below his chin, the curve of his nose, and the slant of his eyes — he couldn't stop himself from saying all that he had been dying to tell him, words he had been harboring on the forefront of his heart and on top of his head.

"You've been gone for two weeks. I missed you, so I came here as fast as I can when I heard that you're back."

At that, he felt Bachira freeze against his hold, and Isagi had to quickly release him, wondering with a growing sort of dread whether he had messed everything up. But instead of any negative reaction, Bachira seemed to be in a daze, eyes glazed over as if he's floating somewhere far away.

Truth be told, Isagi didn't know what to think of Bachira's reaction.

_Try looking at Bachira's fingertips._

Kunigami had told him once, and Isagi braved a look at Bachira's hands.

And _oh_.

Bachira's knuckles and fingertips were red, the color standing out from his skin, a stark contrast to the white of his shirt. There really was no other logical explanation to what Isagi was currently witnessing other than one thing.

Bachira was blushing.

Because of him.

And seeing the blush glowing against Bachira's skin, Isagi came to a certain realization. Maybe, he thought with wings in his heart, attaining his greatest wish wasn't as far-fetched as he thought it would be.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

Isagi was experiencing another crisis, which wasn't a new thing now that he thought about it.

He had finally found the hope and courage he needed to tell Bachira what he felt, but somehow, he couldn't think of how to do it. He wanted his confession to be special, wanted to make it grand enough that Bachira would remember it even when they grow old. He spent his days researching everything about what makes a confession great, taking notes on how to go about it perfectly. He even went as far as to ask Kunigami how Barou confessed to him — it wasn't grand, Kunigami had said, but Isagi knew it had been special just by the way Kunigami's lips seemed to curve upward ever so slightly as he reminisced about it — wanting to know everything that he could.

He had learned a lot, yet nothing seemed right. Sure, all those confession techniques and suggestions seemed brilliant enough on their own, but somehow, Isagi had an inkling that they weren't enough, that confessing exactly like what was written was wrong.

Hence, the crisis that he willingly put himself into.

Not only that, but on top of his love crisis, his school crisis also decided to act up. His art professor just told them that they were doing a gallery exhibit, and each of them needed to submit one art piece to be showcased during the event. In hindsight, it was easy enough to do. Not to sound too smug, but despite having multiple art blocks per month, he remained to be one of the best art students the campus could offer. What really made the project tricky was the theme given to him.

It was a simple theme, but Isagi had learned that sometimes, simple could be just as hard, and he found himself a little lost.

"My art project is driving me crazy," Isagi complained as he found himself in the café's kitchen, watching intently as Bachira measure the ingredients for the experimental fruit tart he was trying to make. "I don't think I can do it this time, Meguru."

"What do you mean you can't do it? Of course, you can! You're Yo-chan!" Bachira shot back confidently, almost startling Isagi with the amount of trust he was putting in him and his art skills.

Still.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Bachira placed his rolling pin down, leaving his work to approach him, slowly and surely.

"It means, Yo-chan, that I believe in you like you believe in me. Besides, you're an artist from here, aren't you?" Bachira said, placing a hand over to where his heart is.

Isagi swallowed, Bachira's touch sending pleasant electric shocks into his skin and making his bones tingle, his heart going into overdrive that he worried Bachira would feel it trying to escape from his chest.

"You think so?" Isagi asked, breath caught in his throat.

"I know so," Bachira smiled encouragingly at him, Isagi thought that if Bachira told him that he could single-handedly end a war while giving him such look, he would have believed him. "Now, straighten up your back."

Isagi grinned, feeling all his worries disappear just like that. Bachira really was amazing.

"Thanks, Meguru."

"You're welcome," Bachira said, "Now, let's brainstorm and see what you can turn into a painting. You have a sketchbook with you, right?"

"I have a few with me," Isagi nodded, handing Bachira some of his sketchpads.

Bachira took the sketchpads from his hands gingerly, carefully, like he was handling an important treasure instead of paper. "Can I look into them?"

"Sure," Isagi shrugged. He didn't really mind Bachira looking into his drawings. They were mostly nature and animal drawings anyway, and the only one he wouldn't show Bachira was _that_ sketchpad. Isagi knew that he would most likely faint from embarrassment, never to show his face ever again, if Bachira was to see the contents of his most secret sketchpad.

"This is me," Bachira's awed voice brought Isagi's wandering mind back to the present. "You made drawings of me?"

Horrified, Isagi finally realized what the sketchpad on Bachira's hands was, and he cursed inwardly, feeling himself begin to panic, his hands beginning to shake like there was no tomorrow as his lower lip trembled, mentally berating himself. How could he have been so careless? Now, Bachira would ask questions, and Isagi wouldn't know what to tell him. He didn't know if he could make an excuse either. Would Bachira even buy his excuse?

"That's —" Isagi began, swallowing audibly. His throat was dry and his mind was completely blank. "That's — Meguru, I… "

Through the dark haze in his mind, Isagi felt Bachira kiss him on the cheeks, such tender action effectively slicing through his panic like a hot knife on butter.

"Wha —" Isagi looked at Bachira, completely dumbfounded, his hand flying to caress the cheek that was touched by Bachira's soft lips, face burning like hot coal.

"I like you, too, Yo-chan." 

"Eh?" If Isagi's mind was blank before, it was completely empty now.

"Oh? Did I get it wrong?" Bachira asked, looking down. He looked disappointed and _sad_ , an expression that snapped Isagi out of his trance. He knew he needed to amend the situation first, and he needed to do it fast.

"What? No! I like you a lot, too!" Isagi stuttered in exclamation before realizing what he had just admitted. "Wait – that's not… how did you—"

"It says it right here," Bachira said, handing him back his sketchpad, fingertips tainted crimson despite the cheeky smile on his lips, "and all the effort you put on me."

So he really was obvious.

Isagi groaned, wanting nothing more than for the ground to swallow him whole. "Did you know before?"

Bachira hummed, stepping closer to him, "I have an inkling. Honestly, I was hoping that I was right."

"You were hoping that you were right? You like me? Like _that_?" Isagi questioned, finding it somewhat surreal that the person he was in love with felt the same way about him. "Am I dreaming?"

Bachira just grinned before pinching him on the cheek.

"Ow!" Isagi winced. "What was that for?"

"Proof that you're not dreaming," Bachira told him, reaching for his hands and holding it tenderly before entwining their fingers together. "Isagi Yoichi, I really do like you."

"Then, can I kiss you?" Isagi found himself blurting out. He still couldn't believe what was happening, and his shock was making it hard for him to control his mouth.

Bachira giggled, and Isagi didn't miss the way his knuckles turned a deeper shade of red, "I didn't think you'd be this aggressive."

"I didn't mean — That's not —" Isagi gave up, instead burying his quickly reddening face against Bachira's shoulder in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. Spirits! He was so uncool.

"I get it, Yo-chan, but yes, you can definitely kiss me." Bachira said, making Isagi raise his head up to look at him. 

"For real?" Isagi asked, finally managing to hold Bachira's gaze, seeing nothing but absolute sincerity in those yellow eyes that he had grown to adore so much.

Bachira nodded in the affirmative, "For real. Actually, I'd like it if you kiss me a lot. You can start giving me kisses now. I've already waited too long, you know? Now, give me a kiss."

"So demanding," Isagi shook his head fondly, leaning forward to give Bachira his long awaited kiss, wondering why he had taken so long to confess.

Well, technically Bachira was the one who confessed, but those are just semantics. Besides, Isagi was finally dating the love of his life.

All's well that ends well.

**꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷**

**Author's Note:**

> \- Isagi may or may not have a crush on everyone.
> 
> \- Isagi is top tier disaster.
> 
> \- Bachira has been flirting with Isagi since day one.
> 
> \- Isagi is really clueless, but his heart is in the right place.
> 
> \- BaroKuni is the matchmaker of the millennia.
> 
> \- Barou is the star of this fic. Fight me.
> 
> \- Isagi is a clueless (but adorable dumbass)
> 
> \- Bachira waited for 500 years to get a kiss. Give him an award for his patience.
> 
> \- Barou and Isagi are frenemies.
> 
> \- Barou is really so done with Isagi.
> 
> \- Isagi is an art student and a dramatic one at that.
> 
> \- IsaBachi is a rom-com.
> 
> \- lol


End file.
